Senior Theatre Anaesthetic Practitioner

University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust; Southampton; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Pension scheme

Annual leave 35 days

Job summary

University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust is seeking a Senior Theatre Anaesthetic Practitioner to join our 24-hour theatre team. This Band 6 post involves supporting Lead Practitioners and upholding high standards of patient care.

The role requires theatre and anaesthetic skills within an acute setting, leadership experience, and commitment to CPD. We offer flexible working, generous pension and holiday entitlements, and a strong professional development culture.

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse or Registered ODP with NHS regulatory awareness.
• Experience as a Theatre Practitioner in an acute theatre unit.
• Leadership experience in a clinical setting.
• Clinical anaesthetic and theatre skills with generic and specialty-specific areas.
• Evidence of supporting/ managing learners in practice.
• Experience in implementing change and managing staff.

Responsibilities

• Review and evolve clinical practices and pathways of care.
• Support the team to deliver 24-hour theatre service with high patient care standards.
• Lead and collaborate with band 6 colleagues, Matron and Anaesthetist Leads.
• Demonstrate leadership and participate in change projects.
• Communicate effectively and commit to CPD and staff development.

Skills

Leadership Experience

Clinical anaesthetic and theatre

Learner support in practice

Colleague development support

Practice Assessor / progression

NHS regulatory knowledge

Education

Registered Nurse or Registered ODP

Foundation Management Course

Job description

University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust

Senior Theatre Anaesthetic Practitioner

The closing date is 19 November 2026

University Hospital Southampton is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us. Job Title: Senior Theatre Anaesthetic Practitioner Contract type: Permanent and a Fixed term/Secondment - Covering Maternity Leave.

Please be advised that this vacancy may close earlier than stated if we receive a large number of application.

Main duties of the job

We have an excellent and exciting opportunity for you to join our team as a Band 6 Anaesthetic Practitioner.

You will be responsible for assisting the Lead Practitioners in the management of the 24hour service over, ensuring high standards of patient care are maintained, acting as a credible role model and patients advocate at all times using the NMC / HCPC Professional Code of Conduct as the framework for your professional practice.

The Theatre Complex is made up of 42 Operating Theatres with multiple specialities including General, Orthopaedics, Paediatrics, ENT / Max Fax, Cardiac and Neuro. The Anaesthetic Team also cover services external to the Theatre Department including Interventional Radiology, CT, MRI and A&E Trauma response.

Our theatres continually demonstrate ongoing excellence of patient care and are fundamentally about helping people to get well. We are the regional trauma centre, and support 24hour emergency patient pathways.

About us

As one of the largest acute teaching Trusts in England, we offer learning and development opportunities to help you achieve the career you aspire to. UHS is rated 'Good' by the CQC and in the latest national NHS Staff Survey, we were in the top 10 acute trusts for staff engagement and for staff recommending the hospital as a place to work or receive care.

We support flexible working and will consider requests taking into account the needs of the service. UHS employees are able to access a range of NHS discounts, are entitled to a minimum of 35 days paid holiday (pro rata), and we offer a generous pension scheme.

Southampton is an attractive place to live and work situated on the south coast, with an international airport and direct trains to London. The New Forest National Park and beaches of the Jurassic coast are also right on our doorstep. The city offers living costs 30% lower than London and 17 schools rated outstanding by Ofsted.

We believe that using technology wisely shows strong time management and commitment to innovation. However, personalising your recruitment application to highlight your unique skills and experiences is crucial. Relying too heavily on generic, AI-generated content instead of drawing from your own strengths and accomplishments may lead to your application being rejected if multiple candidates present identical or similar information.

Job responsibilities

You will be supporting the team to review and evolve clinical practices and pathways of care.

We embrace innovative thinking here and are looking for motivated, enthusiastic individuals, who are also keen team players. The care group philosophy is one of delivering and being part of a proud and professional workforce, striving for excellence in our patients care, staff satisfaction and patient experience.

The post holder will have a pivotal role within the Anaesthetic service, working collaboratively with their team leaders, their band 6 colleagues, Matron and Anaesthetist Clinical Leads.

We are looking for applicants with experience of caring for patients throughout their operative journey, as well as experience of managing staff, budget management experience and involvement with change projects. You should be energetic, forward thinking and demonstrate leadership skills in an evolving environment.

Excellent communication, decision making, and motivation skills are key qualities to possess. You will need to demonstrate CPD & a strong commitment to developing others whilst understanding how to improve and provide safe, quality patient care.

For an overview of the position, please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification document. This includes a detailed breakdown of the key responsibilities, role expectations, and the qualifications we are looking for.

Person Specification

Qualifications, knowledge and experience

• Registered Nurse or Registered ODP
• Experience as a Theatre Practitioner in an acute theatre unit
• Awareness of professional regulations in the NHS
• Leadership Experience
• Clinical anaesthetic and theatre skills and experience - generic and speciality-specific
• Provide evidence of supporting/ managing a range of learners in practice
• Provide evidence of supporting colleagues to promote effective learning in practice
• Foundation Management Course or equivalent
• Clinical management experience
• Experience in implementing change
• Act in the role of Practice Assessor or supporting the progression of learners / supporting challenges as needed

Trust Values and Behaviours

• Patients First
• Always Improving
• Working Together

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust

Depending on experience£39,959 to £48,117 per annum, pro rata